Seat propelled vehicle



1954 M. B. BIRO ETAL SEAT PROPELLED VEHICLE s Shets-Sheet 1 Filed March 28, 1952 FIG.

INVENTORS MICHAEL E. BIRO 8| BY CHARLES B. BIRO FIG. 2

QM ATTORN E Y5 Dec. 28, 1954 M. a. BlRO ETAL 2,593,187

SEAT PROPELLED VEHICLE Filed March 28, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FI 3 INVENTORS.

MICHAEL E. BIRO & CHARLES B.-B|RO ATTORNEYS Dec. 28, 1954 M. B. BIRO ETAL 2,698,187

SEAT PROPELLED VEHICLE Filed March 28, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS MICHAEL B. BIRQ 8; CHARLES B. BERG ATYQRN ENS SEAT PROPELLED -VEHIGILE R Michael B; Biro, Long Island Ci y's. and. ,Charles Bani!! t N ewl .YorkgtNa .Y.;

Application March, 28 1952, Serial No..2Z2,1Q4.l

Claims (Cl-.ZSflfl-ZZQI:

This. invention: relates -to.. a rider tpropelled. vehicle .and,: more particularly, to. a tricyclet in. themature .01 a. hobbyj horse on .whichca. youthful rider .may,;by bouncing.up-.. wardly and downwardly, causethetricycletmbeipropelled forward.

While rider-1 propelledt vehicles thavesbeen heretofore disclosed. in Various forms,. such .vehicles. generally-pro: vide a rigid mechanical. connectionbetweenparts more able .by the rider and the driving wheeler .wheels.

It is an object of .this invention. toproviderin a simple and practical form. a childs toy twhich,..while simulating a pony or. a bucking bronco, mayberpropellednby,the rider.

It .is a further.- object of. this inizentiontto. 1 provide a rider propelled vehicle in: which. energy. proyided .by mo: tion. or" the riders body is stored.in.an.energy.storing apparatus and, simultaneously, energy'from theenergystoringapparatus, is deliveredto thewheels of the yehicle and applied. thereto as thevehicle ,is propelled forwardly .by theeuergy thus applied...

It should be particularly, noted that,,. byzvir,tue-.o f the fact :that energy may. be accumulated in a storage; unit, the vehicl m y e atisfact ly perated-by a hild wh se str ngth might,.be-i s.u fici nt.or whosef nus uler coordination might be. -inadequ-at e to p 'opel'a vehicle in which the means movable by the rider isdireetlyand rigidly connected to the vehicle driving. wheels.

These and other objects of the invention ill become apparent from the following. description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in wide Figure lis a partially cutawayelevation ofithe'gvehi cle;

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the vehicle;

Figure 3 is a transverse section through the rear wheel and energy storage apparatus taken ongthe. plane 3 -3 shown in Figure 2; y

Figure 4 is a cutawayview of the energystorage apparatus taken on theplane 4 4 indicated in FigureS; and

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation of ;a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure .3 as viewcdffrotn lthef right; hand side of Figure 3. v

The vehicle, as indicatedin the drawings is atricycle and comprises a U-shaped member Z hayiiigj an upper arm Sand a lower arm 5. The member is preferably formed from a strip ofspring steel. The loop of the U' is positioned forwardly of the vehicle anda seat 4v to accommodate the rider is mounted on the outer end of theupper arm 3 of the U. Supporting the forward end of the U is a single wheel 16 mounted on a shaft passing through. a yoke 8 which is aflixed to a rotatable vertical post'lll passing upwardly through suitable boresin the lower and upper arm ofthe U-sh'apedrnember 2, The yoke 8' is provided at its upperend withafl'ange-9 which is adapted to support the forwardendiofjthe lower arn jfof the U -shaped member.

Afiixedto the upper endvof'the vertical postlfi'may be, for example, a horseshead 12"as indicated in tl'ie drawing. It will bee'viclent. hjo'weventh'at the horses headmay be replaced by any suitable representation attractive to a juvenile rider. Thev horse's head is providedwith reins 14 which may be held by a riderseated in the seat or saddle,4;and by meansof which the rider may-turn the forward wheel 6o f;the vehicle in orderto steer the vvehicle when in motion,

Attached to. they rear. end ofjthe lower, arm 5 of; the LJ shaped'member 2 is the propulsionu 'nd' 7 P teatea" D c. as, 1954 el x-etilfii nt su n .-1 h wn ns te e et ih n u eeiend -t.

Thet ez eer h l e r veh e e 18 d. e-mqun ed on an axle 22. Oneor bothof the rear. wheels may be; ia sllyteo ne e t ot dt n d i t c w ht ga xl spassest reusht peirt bi hi 24 i el i a ignmentthete th b meanest e y' ntie el hp rings 2 6;;fitted into grooves in the axle. l Eachpf thebus n s. .4 ismeim e n. a e t .en ly xt nding t p The r a tlt nds 00i ea h i t e ap l ter-w bsites t u lh fl mensi n as endof the lowerarm 5 ;of,the U sha e a The re s tt and he.mem er2e e J n o eth' b means of rivets for: other suitable'jasten' cated at, 32. The rearends of ,lthe str'a V I e; ase. aeh.-. her-. ntl are held te e hen w et Mounted between the straps 28 are a pair of en shallow cup-shaped flanged.retainersfifi. These 'reta'in 5 ay e ie e at e erby impedc rcumfe en seeas indicatedat 355 Each of. the retainersis pro ided with a radially centralbQTC thIIOugh Whi Ch the axlef22 's. passed. A pair of plates 38 are' affixed. tottheeircurnfe ential 7 flanges 36 of the cup5shaped. members. [34 at the tw rdme p t on t ereo by ve 353 'A onn ct n r d 0'jisr v te y m n e t e ppe tt uaped pr te itbe 2 y meenss fi' suitable clevis andpin 42, Thellowenend ofgthe,connect?v ingjrod 49'. passes between-theplates 38..and is pivoted thereto by means of a pin 44. Thus, as the rider causes t eea to m ve p a y uddetmmtdh. es n ed 0 c in t u s p atesfi le ee h t ainers' 4 o e hl n esei ate y nn rt' eund the M1612}.

The energy storing, means is enclosed, within thenc tainersffi l, a r dincludes a coiled leaf spring 46,] the inner end of Whichpa'ss'es through a slot 48 in theaxle22landis' locked in positiomtherein by 'meansfof apiri 50 'ia's's ing through; bothithe, endof the leaf spring and the ax'e 22'. Thefouter. end of the leaf spring .46 is hooked over agpin 52 mounted in an'annu-larnicmben 54,-which is positioned withinfthe-retainers 3'4 beside the spring as aqsepatata therefrom by means of a spacer plate 56,; the spaceiiplate 56gbeingfproyidedtwith.a suitable bore to permit the passageof the. pin:52;.

he.- at tpetiphe el tt ere t e. nnula emb 54 i f r edw t p u a itr ie ur e 5 he: il iae nt aee 58 ei j in d e r ion 0 y a s rfa e en ra l re al w i qsed- The ecesth rt v de etwe ac of e am su fac 8'a dthe ri 35 of one; oi; the retainers 34 is of substantially thesame width, as sheWn-in,Figure -3, as radialdepth-,- as shgwtl in Figure A. The space is thus adapted to conveniently receive aball member 62 whichis ofdiarneter slightly-less than the maximum t radial space. provided a between the can -surfaces 5 8" and the rim 35. Th e -.inn e r .circumferem ed. s fac 3 f; the .a ltt a mher: 4.-. ef em et cylindrical form, e n ar membe tt sr qs t en d hin hea n: nul r memb r ta is Pre ide i h .e-.-e t e l e hrou which-the axle 2 p sse e Xl b ins; e. to rotate therein. The annular member 6.4.lis. mounted on pins 616- which extend through slots 67 in one oi? the retainers 3,4 and into'boresfiS in oneofthe frame straps 28;, Thus-rotation of the annular member .64with respect to thefrarne straps 28 is prevented while theslots 61p'ermit alimitedrotation of the retainers 34 with respect; to the framel straps 23. The outer 'peripheral surfaceof the member 64 is provided with;a plurali ty. ofcam surfaces 68 similarinformation to thesurfacesfid f the anu ar membe -v The a l' rfe es & offth member 64ers joined'by generally radi'al'surfaces 70, Balls 72 are p a ed. nt e pac s p e dedb'et t e am ur a e 68" of -the.member'64and the smooth inner circumferential surface 63 of the annular member 54;

arrangedstirrupsAf can, by either alternately standing in saddle or by rocking his body forwardly and backwardly thus altering the load upon the upper arm 3 of the U-shaped spring 2, or by a combination of these motions, cause the saddle to move upwardly and downwardly. Alternately, the rider can place his feet upon the cross bar 7 affixed to and extending transversely of the lower arm and, by successively standing and sitting, cause the seat to move upwardly and downwardly.

This driving motion will move the vertical connecting rod 40 and the horizontal connecting plates 38 upwardly and downwardly. When the connecting plates 38 are moved downwardly from the position shown in Figure 4, the rim 35 and the balls 62 will be moved in a counterclockwise direction. The balls are free to move until they jam between the surfaces 35 and 58 as indicated in the construction line positions 62. The balls in these positions will jam between the adjacent surfaces and cause the annular member 54 to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction as'the retainers 34 are rotated as a result of downward motion of the connecting rod 40 and the saddle 4.

After the riders body has reached a lowermost position, such as is determined by either his weight and his initial downward velocity or by the degree of motion of the retainers 34 permitted by the movement of the slots 67 with respect to the stationary pins 66 and the rider is bouncing upwardly and preferably leaning in a forward direction to reduce the moment about the forwardly curved portion about the spring member 2, the upper arm 3 of the spring member 2 will rise upwardly carrying with it the connecting rod 40 and the connecting plates 38, thus rotating the retainers 34 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4.

As the outer surface 35 of the retainers 34 is rotated in a clockwise direction, the balls 62 will be also carried in a clockwise direction until they engage the substantially radial surfaces 60 of the annular member 54, and thereafter the surface 35 is free to rotate in a clockwise direction while the annular member 54 remains stationary.

When the retainers begin a period of clockwise rotation, the annular member 54 will rotate in a clockwise direction to the degree necessary to carry the balls 72 into locking engagement between the surfaces 68 of relation with at least one of the rear wheels, a seat for the rider, yielding means supporting the seat upon the wheels, and energy storing means, the energy storing means including a housing rotatably mounted on the rear axle, means responsive to oscillatory movement of the seat supporting the rider for oscillating the housing around the rear axle, a pair of annularly arranged annular members retained within the housing, means pre' venting rotation of the inner of the annular members, a spiral spring retained within the housing, the outer end of the spiral spring being affixed to the outer of the annular members and the inner end of the spiral spring being afiixed to the rear axle, the outer surface of the outer annular member being provided with peripherally arranged cam surfaces, a set of floating members adapted to be engaged between the inside peripheral surface of the housing and the peripherally arranged cam surfaces of the outer annular member when the housing is rotated in one direction about the axis and to be disengaged therefrom when the housing is rotated in the other direction about the axis, thus causing the outer annular member to rotate when the housing is rotated in one direction and permitting the outer annular member to be stationary when the housing is rotated in the opposite direction, the inner peripheral surface of the outer annular member and the outer peripheral surface of the inner annular member presenting peripherally arranged cam surfaces with respect to each other, a second set of floating members adapted to be engaged between the the stationary inner member and the inner surface 63 of the annular member 54 as shown at 72'. As soon as this locking action is accomplished rotation of the annular member 54 will be arrested and, for the duration of the rider's upward motion and the accompanying clockwise direction of the surface 35, the member 54 will be stationary. When the rider has achieved an uppermost position and the upper arm 3 of the U-shaped spring member 2 has reached its uppermost position, the arm 3 will again descend and, through the connecting rod 40 and the connecting plates 38, counterclockwise motion will be again imparted to the surface 35. It will be evident from the foregoing that during each period of downward motion of the rider, the annular member 54 will be rotated in a counterclockwise direction and, during each period of upward motion of the rider, the annular member 54 will be retained in a stationary position. Thus repeated upward and downward motion of the rider will cause the spring member 46 to be wound around the axle 22 as a result of the pin 52 affixed to the annular member 54 pulling the outer end of the spring in a counterclockwise direction.

The inner end of the spring 46 is rigidly affixed to the axle 22 which is rotatably mounted in the bearings 24 and to which the rear wheels 18 and 20 are rigidly connected. Thus the energy stored in the spring 46 will .exert a torque upon the axle 22, the effect of which will be to cause the wheels to rotate in a forward direction and thus propel the vehicle. It will be evident that the more violently the rider bounces in the saddle 4, i. e.,

the greater the depths and the heights to which he bounces, the greater will be the amount of energy stored in the spring 46 over a given period of time and thus the greater will be the torque applied to the rear wheels by the inner end of the energy storing spring 46.

While the preferred embodiment has been shown, it will be evident that various modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:

' 1. A rider propelled vehicle comprising front and rear wheels, an axle mounting the rear wheels and in driving adjacent cam surfaces of the inner and outer annular members when the outer member is rotated in one direction with respect to the inner member and to be disengaged therefrom when the outer annular member is rotated in the opposite direction about the inner annular member, the direction in which the outer annular member may rotate freely with respect to the inner annular member being the same direction in which the outer annular member is moved by the housing through the first set of floating members, the spiral spring thus being wound by rotation of the outer annular member resulting from oscillatory movement of the seat supporting the rider and the vehicle being driven by energy imparted to at least one of the rear wheels through the axle from the spiral spring.

2. A rider propelled vehicle comprising front and rear wheels, an axle mounting the rear wheels and in driving relation with at least one of the rear wheels, a seat for the rider, yielding means supporting the seat upon the wheels, and energy storing means, the energy storing means including a housing rotatably mounted on the rear axle, a spiral spring mounted within the housing, the inner end of the spiral spring being connected to the axle, ratchet means within the housing, the outer end of the spiral spring being connected to the ratchet means, and means responsive to oscillatory movement of the seat supporting the rider for oscillating the housing around the rear axle, the ratchet means acting in conjunction with the housing to wind the spring in one direction from the outer end thereof as the housing rotates in one direction and to prevent unwinding of the spring when the housing is stationary or rotating in the opposite direction, the vehicle being driven by energy imparted to at least one of the rear wheels through the axle from the spiral spring.

3. A rider propelled vehicle comprising front and rear wheels, an axle mounting the rear wheels and in driving relation with at least one of the rear wheels, a seat for the rider, yielding means supporting the seat upon the wheels, and energy storing means, the energy storing means including a housing rotatably mounted on the rear axle, a spiral spring mounted within the housing, the inner end of the spiral spring being connected to the axle, ratchet means within the housing, the outer end of the spiral spring being connected to the ratchet means, and means responsive to oscillatory movement of the seat supporting the rider for oscillating the housing around the rear axle, means limiting the degree of oscillation of the housing around the rear axle, the ratchet means acting in conjunction with the housing to wind the spring in one direction from the outer end thereof as the housing rotates in one direction and to prevent unwinding of the spring when the housing is stationary or rotating in the opposite direction, the vehicle being driven by energy imparted to at least one of the rear wheels through the axle from the spiral spring.

4. A rider propelled vehicle comprising front and rear wheels, an axle mounting the rear wheels and in driving relation with at least one of the rear wheels, a seat for the rider, yielding means supporting the seat upon the wheels, and energy storing means, the energy storing means including a housing rotatably mounted on the rear axle, a spiral spring mounted within the housing, the inner end of the spiral spring being connected to the axle, a pair of ratchet means concentrically arranged within the housing, the outer end of the spiral spring being connected to one of the pair of ratchet means, and means responsive to oscillatory movement of the seat supporting the rider for oscillating the housing around the rear axle, the one of the pair of ratchet means acting in conjunction with the housing to wind the spring in one direction from the outer end thereof as the housing rotates in one direction and the other of the pair of ratchet means acting to prevent unwinding of the spring when the housing is stationary or rotating in the opposite direction, the vehicle being driven by energy imparted to at least one of the rear wheels through the axle from the spiral spring.

5. A rider propelled vehicle comprising front and rear wheels, an axle mounting the rear wheels and in driving relation with at least one of the rear wheels, a seat for the rider, yielding means supporting the seat upon the wheels, the yielding seat supporting means including a U- shaped spring member having its curved portion forwardly of the vehicle and one of its arms positioned above the other with the rear portion of its upper arm supporting the riders seat and the rear portion of the lower arm supported by the rear axle, energy storing means mounted on the rear axle and operably connected thereto, means operatively connected to the seat including a generally vertically extending movable link pivotally connected to a generally horizontally extending movable link for transmitting energy produced by oscillating movement of the rider upon the yieldingly supported seat to the energy storing means, and means limiting the amplitude of oscillation of the seat and the links, the vehicle being driven by energy imparted to at least one of the rear wheels from the energy storing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 643,525 Olson Feb. 13, 1900 1,632,405 Harrison June 14, 1927 1,798,971 Clements Mar. 31, 1931 1,985,406 Galkin Dec. 25, 1934 2,502,367 Burnes et al Mar. 28, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 5,492 Great Britain of 1897 510,025 France Oct. 20, 1920 

